Power Foods for Diabetics: Beans

Living with diabetes is no easy feat—the careful planning, constant monitoring, and dietary limits can be daunting for anyone, whether you were diagnosed yesterday or years ago. Power Foods for Diabetes is a cookbook that’s totally here to help you solve your dietary dilemmas.

The stars of the show? Twenty “power foods” recommended by the American Diabetes Association that aim to make living with the disease easier—and healthier! We’re highlighting a few of the essentials that will fit right in with your fall and winter menus.

Spotlight on: BeansBeans are, well, magic, of course! A rock-star power food, beans pack protein and fiber into your daily meals. Some of their superpowers include lowering blood glucose levels, reducing cholesterol, and helping you lose weight – all essential for diabetics and healthy eaters alike. Although canned and cooked beans feature these health benefits, dried beans are a great source of potassium, calcium, folate, and other B vitamins. In other words, beans are total overachievers just dying to be included in your next meal.

Fun Facts:

Beans are an easy way to meet daily fiber requirements (25 grams for women, 38 grams for men).

Use them in soups, stews, casseroles, salads, or dips.

Canned beans can pack a secret punch of sodium—look for unsalted varieties or rinse them before using to remove 40% of the sodium.